Baseball

“I wrote 63 songs this year. They’re all about Jeter.” Just kidding. The game we love, the players we hate, and more.

Culture and Criticism

From Norman Mailer to Wendy Pepper — everything on film, TV, books, music, and snacks (shut up, raisins), plus the Girls’ Bike Club.

Donors Choose and Contests

Helping public schools, winning prizes, sending a crazy lady in a tomato costume out in public.

Stories, True and Otherwise

Monologues, travelogues, fiction, and fart humor. And hens. Don’t forget the hens.

The Vine

The Tomato Nation advice column addresses your questions on etiquette, grammar, romance, and pet misbehavior. Ask The Readers about books or fashion today!

The Vine: July 2, 2010
July 2, 2010 · 44 Comments
The Vine: July 2, 2010

Lots to choose from in the TN Read-Along #2 poll; vote today!
*****
Dear Sars,
I’ve been trying to track down this radio ad that I heard in the recent past, and my inability to do so …

Squared Up: Card Games
July 2, 2010 · 16 Comments
Squared Up: Card Games

I snagged a pack of Topps the other day for the hell of it, and something isn’t quite right about it. Maybe it’s a special promotional kind of pack that contains a higher proportion of …

Tomato Nation Read-Along #2: Poll
June 30, 2010 · 18 Comments
Tomato Nation Read-Along #2: Poll

Polling for Book #2 will end at 11:59 PM ET on July 6. Vote below!
Thanks again to everyone who participated in the live chat (you can watch a “replay” of it right here — upcoming …

The Vine: June 30, 2010
June 30, 2010 · 37 Comments
The Vine: June 30, 2010

Dear Sars,
I have a question for you (and the readers) about therapy. And essentially it’s this: how do you know if you just dislike your therapist because you’re dealing with stuff you’d rather not, versus …

Going In Circles: Live Chat
June 29, 2010 · 9 Comments
<I>Going In Circles</I>: Live Chat

Pepper Pamela Ribon with questions live: Wednesday 30 June at 7:30 PM ET.
You should see the chat window below; it actually works more like a live blog. You’ll ask your questions in the comments area, …

The Vine: June 25, 2010
June 25, 2010 · 22 Comments
The Vine: June 25, 2010

I’ve got two really sketchy book descriptions that I’m hoping the Vine readers can identify.
In the first book, the main character wants to tile her shower to look like the periodic table of elements. I …

TN Read-Along #1 Discussion Thread: Going In Circles
June 24, 2010 · 42 Comments
TN Read-Along #1 Discussion Thread: <I>Going In Circles</I>

Don’t forget that Pamela Ribon is gracing us for a live chat on Wednesday 30 June at 8 PM ET. I’ll have a chat URL and an FAQ in the next day or two.
And now, …

Squared Up: Remember the Maine (…wait: don’t)
June 24, 2010 · 5 Comments
Squared Up: Remember the Maine (…wait: don’t)

On May 17, Hanley Ramirez boots a ball, loafs after it, and gets benched. He reacts by snarking on his manager, Fredi Gonzalez, for never having played in the major leagues; he also refuses to …

The Vine: June 23, 2010
June 23, 2010 · 56 Comments
The Vine: June 23, 2010

Dear Sars,
I’ve been in a committed relationship with someone we’ll call “Kim” for 3 years. For the last 2 years of that time, Kim and I have lived in different cities because of various school- …

The Crushed Film Festival presents: The Runner
June 21, 2010 · 21 Comments
The Crushed Film Festival presents: <I>The Runner</I>

The Movie: The Runner
The Crush Object: Ron Eldard
The Story: Compulsive gambler Edward (Eldard), who has obviously chosen to continue living in Las Vegas, gets a job through his Uncle Rocco (Joe Mantegna) as a runner …